Document Type
Freshman Seminar Essay
Publication Date
1985
Excerpt
John F. Kennedy's 1960 campaign and election into the Office of the Presidency clearly marked the beginning of a new era. A feeling of newness and hope existed throughout the nation: Americans believed and trusted Kennedy when he said, "The torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans." But as the decade continued, the nation experienced drastic events and changes. With Kennedy's assassination, the enchantment and hope of his term began to die, leaving President Johnson with the task of continuing Kennedy's policies as smoothly as possible. Toward the end of the decade, America's involvement In the Vietnam War overshadowed Johnson's term and sparked violent unrest among the American people. The 1960s is often considered the most turbulent era in modern American history, and the political events which took place helped America to mold itself and grow by gaining experience.
Recommended Citation
Griffin, Laura, "Political Experience in the 1960s (1985)" (1985). The Valpo Core Reader. 525.
http://scholar.valpo.edu/core_reader/525